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Military Thais

By

John Haseman and

Eduardo Lachica

Updated Oct. 9, 2006 12:01 a.m. ET

There has to be a better way. In trying to nudge a power-grabbing military back to the barracks, the U.S. has opted to freeze most forms of assistance to the Thai armed forces. That undermines America's ability to work with a crucial ally in the war on terror. And it risks backfiring by halting Thai participation in programs that promote democratic values and professionalism.

Altogether, Washington has frozen nearly $24 million in assistance to the Thai military since the Sept. 19 coup. U.S. military training of Thais in...